


Survival

by TheRoarOfAtlas



Category: Jurassic World (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, God I loved this movie, Hurt/Comfort, I LOVE DINOSAURS, I have no shame, Porn With Plot, Porn with way too much plot, Raptor Pack, The Indominus Incident, apatosaurus caretaker!OFC, here we are!, thirst party saturday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 17:58:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11583285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRoarOfAtlas/pseuds/TheRoarOfAtlas
Summary: Here it is! My first official Thirst Party Saturday foray into another fandom! This kicks off about in the middle of the Indominus Incident and goes from there.[x-posted to Tumblr]Enjoy!





	Survival

He’d seen the large body from quite a distance away, but the smaller form crumpled beside it hadn’t been apparent until he went almost full circle. Owen jerked up the brake, fumbling to get his seat belt off and quickly slinging his rifle over his shoulder.

 

There were strategically placed feeding stations close to the Gyrosphere path in the Valley to encourage more animal visibility, she was one of the volunteers who stocked the dry feed and ferns for the Apatosaurus herd. Sometimes he saw her assisting with the one juvenile Apatosaurus and the squirmier Gallimimus in the petting zoo area. That was all he knew. He couldn’t even remember her _name_ , he honestly wasn’t sure if he had ever known it to begin with.

 

The first thing that got his attention when he opened the car door was the sound of quiet crying. So she wasn’t dead, then. Probably just in shock. “Hey!” He hissed, trying to keep his voice down as he was unsure of whether the Indominus was still close by. “Hey, are you alright?”

 

She didn’t give any indication that she had heard him and when Owen rounded the long neck of the animal he saw her clinging to it, sobbing pitifully like a child. The sight made his throat ache and he squared his shoulders, irritated with himself.

 

He crept closer, doing his best to rustle and make his presence known through exaggerated footfalls and coughing once or twice. She paid him no attention, her focus wholly on the huge animal that was currently dying. Owen bore no ill will at being ignored in this instance though, remembering all too clearly the sting of sadness and even worse, the feeling that he’d failed when a raptor out of his pack clutch didn’t survive. _Poor Foxtrot_.

 

“-didn’t deserve that, y-you were always the sw-sweetest thing.” She hiccupped between sobs. Owen noticed her comparatively tiny fingers pressed over a gaping slash wound in the Apatosaur’s neck. The herbivore gave a pained grunt of breath, blood bubbling from the gash. “It’s okay, sweetheart. No one w-will be angry with you if you sleep now, okay?” Her shoulders shook with the effort of holding back tears so she could reassure the giant animal. “You can sleep. You were so brave, k-kept me safe from whatever that was. Sleep, sweetheart.” She whispered, pulling herself closer so she could rest her forehead on the scaly skin. “It’s over now.”

 

After several seconds of its breathing becoming slower and more labored, the Apatosaurus shuddered and went totally still. She couldn’t hold back her tears any longer at that, tightening her hold on the creature’s neck and burying her face. Owen felt like he was witnessing something he shouldn’t be, shifting back and forth awkwardly for a minute before finally tapping her on the shoulder.

 

She shook her head. “She died for me.” She mumbled. “She kept me safe from that…whatever that was. The huge one.”

 

“They named it the Indominus Rex. I guess callin’ it the ‘Shitshow Waiting To Happen’ Rex was a little too on the nose.” Owen didn’t know why the hell he even said anything about it. She was clearly emotionally compromised and not in a listening mood.

 

“That’s what they’ve been making, isn’t it?” Her question startled him. _He_ hadn’t known they were cooking that giant lizard up, how the hell would _she_ know? Owen wasn’t exactly the most _social_ guy but he liked to think he had a decent finger on the pulse of the island. “In the lab, that’s what they were all so happy about.” Her voice was shaky. “A couple of the inside nerds came into our break room the other day, told a bunch of us that we were going to be rendered useless in a matter of weeks.”

 

Owen’s brow furrowed. “Why the hell…?”

 

“They said a crane had been proved to do our job just as well, and if a crane gets broken it’s not counted as a casualty.” She pulled away from the Apatosaurus, scrubbing her dirty hands on her shorts. “They said it would help prevent accidents, take down operating costs if they didn’t have so many of us little khaki-clad park rangers running around.” She sounded bitter and Owen didn’t blame her for one second. “I’m sorry, I’m just...could I possibly hitch a ride with you back to the fence? I should be able to get to the resort on my own from there.” Her body was still shuddering a little from her lengthy crying jag but she was obviously trying to put on a brave face. Whether for him or in honor of her deceased charge, Owen wasn’t quite sure.

 

He got the feeling that he would regret this, but he couldn’t in good conscience drop her off essentially in the middle of nowhere to make her own way. _Definitely_ not with that big beasty roaming free. “Listen. I know you’re mournin’ your charges right now, so it would make me feel a lot better if you just stuck with me and I could get you to the resort in one piece.” He tried to gentle his voice without seeming patronizing. “I don’t know where the I. Rex is and if somethin’ happens to you, somethin’ that my ass could have prevented…” He trailed off.

 

“It killed most of the herd, then it took off. I heard it coming and it was just…I thought it was Rexy at first but the color was all wrong, and then I saw how long its arms were. It was practically on top of me by the time I realized I should run and it was too late. I…are you going to kill it?” She asked hesitantly.

 

Owen grimaced. “Masrani an’ the powers that be are a little leery of dumping that kind of money down the drain. Me, on the other hand? If I _can_ kill it, if it can be killed, I’m definitely killing it.” He doubted a creature that unstable could be subdued without emptying a clip or twenty into its skull. He held out his hand. “Hop into the truck, ma’am. I’ll bring you home safe.”

 

...

 

_That promise was lofty as_ _ **hell**_ _and honestly, I should have known better than to make it_ , he thought ruefully as he stood in front of her, arms spread. Blue was staring him down with Delta and Echo flanking them. As if the clusterfuck with the helicopter through the Aviary and the subsequent panicking vacationers hadn’t been enough bullshit for one day. As if the I. Rex _itself_ wasn’t a living, breathing clusterfuck all on its own.

 

The missing presence of Charlie was like a quiet chorus of _wrongwrongwrong_ in the back of his mind. He wasn’t used to seeing less of his pack and he whickered quietly in his throat, hearing Delta mimic the noise. Blue continued to focus on Owen and he realized that she was the only one who still had a camera strapped around her head.

 

Slowly, _ever_ so slowly, Owen inched his hand out. Murmuring reassurances the whole time and making sure the beta Velociraptor could clearly see his hand, his fingers finally touched the buckle on the side of her jaw. Blue chuffed at him and Owen found himself smiling a little. “Shh, easy. Just me.” He said quietly. “Good girl, _good_ girl.” The woman at his side moved just a fraction closer to Echo. Owen barely caught the motion out of the corner of his eye. “Stay still please. I like my hand the way it is.” He said in the same calm, quiet tone.

 

“Sorry, used to the herbivores.” She apologized, her own voice deliberately gentle. To Owen’s surprise Echo made a noise that was usually associated with playful behavior, a warbling little chirp. The volunteer didn’t seem particularly _afraid_ of the raptors despite having clearly witnessed the fact that Owen wasn’t the one in charge of them anymore. He couldn’t decide if that was stupid or not.

 

“Easy girl. Let’s get this off, okay?” Owen pressed down carefully on the buckle and unclipped the straps, letting the camera drop to the ground. Blue clicked warily at him, watching as he eased his hand back just as slow. “There, that’s better, right?” He continued, doing his best to keep the beta calm. “Good girl. I’m sorry about Charlie, Blue. Thanks for not rippin’ a chunk out of Barry. Delta, you’re gettin’ extra scratch time with Barry for tearin’ Hoskins apart.” He was sort of rambling at this point, wondering how long this truce would last before his girls lit him up.

 

Blue hadn’t stopped staring at him. Echo chittered loudly, seeming to try and pull Owen’s attention. He knew better than to glance her way, _very_ familiar with how his pack hunted.

 

“I know you’re there, Echo. I’m busy at the moment. Gotta’ keep my eyes on the boss.” Owen felt the ground shudder and he was not ashamed to admit that he lost his breath for a second or twelve when the I. Rex rounded the corner of Main Street. The sheer mass of the creature was terrifying by itself, never mind that it had been _specifically_ engineered to be scary (ala the Carnotaurus motif; Owen was honestly surprised that they hadn’t given the thing blatant horns on its skull instead of the smaller protrusions). The jaw structure designed to crush, the spines that were _obviously_ cosmetic. What the hell did a _fake_ dinosaur in solitary confinement need defensive spikes for anyhow?

 

“ _Imagine that one, fraction of the size. Deadly, intelligent, able to hide from the most advanced military technology_.”

 

Owen could still barely wrap his head around the fact that Hoskins had thought this was a _good_ idea. Not only that, but good enough to pour inGen’s resources into indiscriminately. Sure, he’d had a _bit_ of a clue that he wasn’t being hired to train Velociraptors to balance balls on their noses or clap like goddamn seals, but if he had known that the end game was a _fake T. Rex_ with goddamn _cloaking_ , social anxiety and an incurable affection for cranes he doubted he would have taken the job.

 

The Indominus Rex rumbled at the Velociraptors. Owen could practically _hear_ it pitching a tantrum, _why haven’t you eaten them yet?!_ Blue turned to hiss back, snapping her jaws and surprising the hell out of Owen with her defiance. For the first time since Delta chased them back out of the Innovations Center he felt a faint glimmer of hope. _Maybe, just maybe_.

 

“Pointers for working with large carnivores?” She muttered out of the side of her mouth. It was a relief to realize that she wasn’t scared brainless. Shitless maybe, but she hadn’t fainted and her gears were still turning. The hope burned a little brighter.

 

“Avoid doing so. Barring that, be _really_ fast and good at hiding. Mask your scent.” Owen replied. “This thing…it isn’t _exactly_ well-adjusted. Little to no training, not like my raptors. Hell, _Rexy_ is more trained than this thing.”

 

“Well you could have just said that we were fucked.”

 

“I don’t know if we are yet.” Owen said evenly, watching Blue interact in a more and more hostile manner with the genetic mishmash towering over them. “We’ve got a prayer here. I think Blue took me back as alpha, s’long as my girls can keep it together we have a shot.”

 

“I’ll do my best.”

 

Owen caught the wave of hysterical laughter that wanted to break free, the barest snicker escaping him. “I _meant_ the raptors.”

 

“Rude.” The fact that she could be glib at a time like this was unexpectedly comforting. Owen eased his hand down and wrapped his fingers around her own, squeezing lightly. She squeezed back after a moment. “Thank you. Sorry.”

 

Blue screeched abruptly and the I. Rex roared furiously in reply, swiping the beta into the wall of the nearby Starbucks. The Velociraptor slumped to the ground and Owen barely kept from screaming, biting down on his fist. _Blue!_

 

Echo and Delta both turned to face the Indominus, angrily chirruping and snapping at the large creature. Owen, doing his damnedest to wrestle himself back under control, felt the volunteer's grip tighten on his hand again. He didn’t have the luxury of going to pieces right now, _dammit_. He still had his rifle. He still had two of his girls. His eyes narrowed and he sucked in a breath, then emitted a piercing whistle.

 

The raptors _immediately_ went on the offensive, clawing and tearing their way up the sides of the Indominus. Owen gave the woman a quick push towards a small merchandise kiosk and she bolted for the building, leaving him with the remainder of his pack and the giant creature in the middle of Main Street.

 

_Hell of a showdown_. Owen smiled grimly, slinging his rifle around and setting the stock firmly before taking his first shot. Circling the massive beast, firing whenever he had a clear line of sight, Owen did everything that he could to put dents in the thing’s armor so his girls would have a better (albeit slim) chance of tearing it apart.

 

_Hell of a way to die_. His brow furrowed and he pulled the trigger again.

 

When Delta was flung through the Winston’s Steakhouse window and promptly roasted alive in a burst of flame from the still-active grill, when the Indominus crushed Echo in her jaws and tossed her aside, Owen felt his guts seize. His fingers grew clumsy as he reloaded and he almost dropped his rifle, blinking back the tears. He’d _raised_ these animals, God damn it, imprinted on them, grown with them. He thought of the woman who cared for the Apatosaurus herd, putting her own sorrow on the back burner to assure the long-necked herbivore that it was alright to leave.

 

“ _No one will be mad at you_.”

 

There would be time to mourn, assuming he got out of this alive. Time to grieve the loss of his pack. But at this moment there was no room for sorrow.

 

Owen made a mad dash for the relative shelter of the kiosk, but to his horror when he vaulted over the counter he found the tiny store deserted. _Oh no_. He heard a loud, rattling inhale behind him and he froze, listening to the I. Rex tramp around outside. The huge jaw of the creature banged into the side of the kiosk, tossing stuffed dinosaurs and T-shirts onto the young man. He was well and truly screwed, he realized as the Indominus’ talons broke through the side of the kiosk and gouged the floor in an attempt to tear him apart.

 

He pressed himself against the opposite wall, wishing that he could close his eyes and open them again to find that this was all a bad dream. His girls were gone, and he was about to be torn limb from limb by some bastardized horror show of a dinosaur. His only solace in that moment was knowing that he’d fulfilled his promise to that volunteer. Because obviously she was safe, she was probably boarding the ferry right now.

 

_The Indominus isn’t moving its feet but the ground is shaking, why is the ground shaking if the Indominus isn’t moving?_

 

Owen could feel the thunder of colossal footsteps and he saw a flare go sailing by to bounce off the side of the creature attempting to eat him alive. His eyes widened. _Oh Jesus, she didn’t-_

 

The trumpeting roar that Rexy let out was teeth-rattling, he had heard her before of course but always from a safe distance. Being up close and personal with the park’s goat-fed matriarch was an experience he could have lived without. He caught the barest glimpse of the volunteer, standing practically _beneath_ the T. Rex. _Holy shit, she_ _ **did**_ _._ His flicker of admiration was short-lived as Rexy and the Indominus met each other head-on almost directly in front of his hideout.

 

Owen would have nightmares later on, about being crushed to death or torn apart when the T. Rex ended up crashing through the side of his hideout. In the moment though he wildly debated just jamming his rifle into the animal’s gaping maw and firing until she decided to latch onto him. At least he’d go down fighting like his girls.

 

But the Indominus dragged Rexy back out without giving him the chance to act on his crazy idea, and Owen bolted from the stand seconds before it collapsed on top of him.

 

_Adrenaline give me fucking strength!_

 

He careened to a halt beside the woman who had taken up shelter by a large volcanic boulder on display, unsure of whether he ought to kiss her or scream at her because _what the fuck, the_ _ **T. Rex?!**_ She caught his hand and clung to it tightly, which sort of made the decision a little simpler.

 

To Owen’s horror he suddenly realized that the Indominus appeared to be gaining the advantage, flooring Rexy and pinning her head and neck with its claws. The I. Rex opened those fearsome jaws, leisurely moving in to rip Rexy’s throat out and Owen turned his head away, refusing to watch another animal die at the proverbial hands of this beast. She buried her face in his chest, tears soaking his shirt as she seemed to grasp that Rexy had been their last-ditch effort, and the odds were not exactly in their favor.

 

A faint sound caught Owen’s attention, making him jerk his eyes back up. He hardly dared to hope, but-

 

“Blue.” He breathed, recognizing her distinctive, ‘coughing’ call. The raptor, coming from the far end of Main Street, quickly picked up speed and vaulted off of Rexy’s prone form to fling herself at the face of the Indominus. The I. Rex brayed in confusion, swinging wildly in an attempt to shake off the Velociraptor and not appearing to notice when the T. Rex rolled back onto her feet. But it sure as hell noticed a second later when Rexy caught it around the throat and slammed it up against the wall nearby. Sparks popped and hissed as elaborate lighting fixtures were destroyed, showering the two humans hiding behind the rock with glass and other small debris.

 

Owen gripped the volunteer’s arm and fled across the plaza into the larger gift shop, knowing that the building would at least provide them some cover. When Blue crashed through the glass in front of them and immediately got back to her feet he wanted to holler, to tell her she was doing a ‘ _great damn job!_ ’ But he stifled the urge so as not to distract the only surviving member of his pack. The beta had _more_ than enough problems to worry about without being made victim to his emotional, _human_ responses.

 

Owen felt a faint twinge of remorse when Rexy forced the Indominus into the side of Margaritaville, a little amused with himself for thinking about drinks at a time like this. But if they survived this endeavor, he knew _exactly_ where he would go. The volunteer gripped his arm tightly, her breath coming in panicky gasps. She didn’t seem able to look away from the clash of the titans going on mere feet in front of them.

 

Rexy tossed the I. Rex into the metal fencing surrounding the lagoon, sending a portion of it crashing into the water. The Indominus floundered back to its feet, that terrifying, discordant roar echoing on Main Street as it stood. Blue screeched loudly in reply and Rexy opened her own jaws wide to bellow.

 

In all the chaos Owen had forgotten about the denizen of the lagoon. _Mosasaurs hunt close to the surface of the water...fish, turtles, smaller Mosasaurs_. The aquatic predator leaped headlong at the I. Rex through the freshly-made gap in the fence, sinking her teeth into the creature’s neck. The Indominus flailed for a split second before being dragged bodily into the lagoon.

 

There was a long moment of silence, and then the haunting, low frequency call of the feeding Mosasaurus faintly reached Owen’s ears. He exhaled the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding in a long, slow _whoosh_.

 

The volunteer let go of his arm, fumbling at her waist for something as Rexy stared at Blue. The raptor chittered uneasily at the larger animal and Owen took in the long-scarred wounds on Rexy’s neck beneath all the fresh ones. Velociraptor claw marks, he was sure of it. But how could that have happened?

 

_She was from the first attempt Grady, it ain’t like_ _ **that**_ _shit went well_.

 

A snapping noise pulled his attention to the woman beside him and he was horrified to see a now-burning flare held tightly in her hand. The noise and light had _also_ gotten Rexy’s attention, distracting her from the Velociraptor. Owen felt a wave of gratitude almost overcome the panic he felt, she had (intentionally or otherwise) saved his last raptor. But before he could so much as open his mouth the woman took off at a dead sprint back across Main Street. _Paddock Nine_ , Owen thought numbly, watching her raise the clunky walkie-talkie to her mouth. _She’s going to try and get her back in her cage. Jesus fucking Christ._

 

Blue chirped uncertainly at him, turning to watch Rexy tromp off after the woman. Owen’s voice shook as he called to Blue, snagging her attention so she wouldn’t give chase. “ _Good_ girl. Jesus Christ Blue, I think you’re the only one who’s ever teamed up with a T. Rex and lived to talk about it.” He extended his hand, clicking his tongue in an imitation of his training clicker when she didn’t immediately go into an aggressive stance. “Good girl, shit I wish I had somethin’ to give you. You done damn good, Blue.” He praised, chuckling incredulously.

 

She croaked at him and he mimicked the noise, wishing now more than ever that they had dedicated less time to getting the raptors under their thumb and more time to _understanding_ them. He would have happily handed over every one of his paychecks from inGen if it meant he could have communicated better with his girls. Blue gave one last fond-sounding whiffle of breath and headed off in the direction of the Innovations building. Owen had to blink back the tears again as he heard her call for her deceased pack mates, the familiar grunts and snaps going unanswered in the night.

 

He finally shook himself bodily and urged his exhausted legs to carry him across the square, giving the area of destroyed fencing a wide berth. That would be just his luck. _Paddock Nine_. He picked up speed despite his weariness, the fear finally seeming to hit him. _She’s alone with a fucking T. Rex and she’s unarmed, oh my God_. Owen’s eyes narrowed and he began reloading his rifle as he ran. She had saved Blue. He would be damned if she died without him tearing at least a _few_ holes in that T. Rex.

 

His frantic run was cut short as he came whipping down the long passageway between the paddocks and foggily noticed that Paddock Nine was in fact, closed up nice and tight. What _really_ got his attention was the body curled against the wall on the opposite side, a walkie-talkie resting on the ground nearby.

 

“Hey!” He yelled, almost slipping on the smooth cement in his haste to reach her. “Shit, shit shit shit, no no, fuck c’mon, don’t do this shit to me.” He swore under his breath as he dropped to his knees.

 

She raised her face to look at him dazedly, her cheeks wet with tears. “I…”

 

“ _Fucking hell_.” Owen wrapped her in a fierce hug, cutting off whatever else she might have said. “You gave me such a fucking scare, what the _hell_ were you thinkin’?” He scolded, both irritated and relieved beyond measure.

 

“I didn’t…your raptors--I-I j-just…” Her voice petered out and she slid her arms beneath his own, digging her fingers into his vest. “I couldn’t w-w-watch that, n-not again.” She managed to sob. “M’ so sorry, I j-just--”

 

Owen hushed her, rubbing her back in slow, careful circles and letting her cry. “I didn’t mean t’ yell at you. I’m glad you’re safe.” He said quietly. “I owe you at least one debt of gratitude for savin’ my girl. Two, if you count savin’ my ass as worthwhile.”

 

“God Mr. Grady, I’m fucking exhausted.” She said bluntly, making him chuckle. “I am…I am _clearly_ out of shape, Jesus Christ. Rexy running buddy is a hell of a motivator.”

 

“So I saw. We’re lucky she’s well-fed and curious.” Owen got to his feet and held out his hand. “I’m lucky that you’re so smart.” He said a little quieter, almost to himself. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t had brushes with death before, but never with quite so many _teeth_.

 

“No, you’re lucky I’m too _dumb_ to think about things before I do them. Otherwise I would have been scared stiff.” She corrected, grabbing his hand and letting him haul her upright. “Holy shit, I can’t even believe we did it. Wow.” Her fingers clenched in the fabric of his shirt and she swayed on her feet, stumbling a step.

 

“Whoa, easy now.” Owen steadied her, sliding an arm beneath her shoulders. “Easy. We’ll get back to the plaza, okay? See if we can grab some grub. I don’t know about _you_ , but I’m fucking starvin’.”

 

“That sounds incredible.” She murmured, putting one foot in front of the other at his gentle urging. “Sleep after that, yeah?”

 

“ _Hell_ yeah. We are gonna’ sleep like the dead.” Owen wasn’t sure if he would ever sleep _again_ after everything that had happened. “We’re sticking together though, I don’t know if the volunteer bunkhouse has been compromised. Plus, I ain’t exactly gonna’ leave you alone out here.”

 

“Thank you.” She suddenly let out a hysterical little giggle. “I outran a T. Rex.”

 

“ _Twice!_ ” Owen added, the insanity of that statement hitting him. “You were _phenomenal_ , I’ve never seen shit like that. I thought I was dead. I hoped you got to the ferry and that I’d bought you enough time and instead you came _back_ , whippin’ that flare at the Indominus like a crisp Washington at a stripper. Jesus.”

 

She snorted with laughter, knocking the side of her head into his chest. “We’re just lucky there was still someone in Central Control.”

 

“And that _you_ were smart enough to think of setting up a real-life Godzilla fight. Maybe a little further away from me next time though, okay?” Owen joked.

 

“I’ll do my best.”

 

He found himself gripping her a little tighter than he needed to as he made a beeline for the shattered remains of Margaritaville, carefully stepping through the destroyed front of the bar. “What’s your opinion on strawberries?”

 

…

 

The MVU drove like a _boat_ and Owen was a nervous wreck about his motorcycle tumbling out of the back, doing his damnedest to avoid every bump on the road. The Scrambler was kind of his prized possession. A grin snuck across his face at the memory of riding through the forest with his girls. Hunting together like a real, honest-to-goodness raptor pack.

 

The grin faded as he remembered Charlie getting blown to pieces minutes later. _At least I still have Blue_. He wasn’t sure if raptors were intelligent to the point of understanding death, or whether Blue would keep looking for them forever. His heart sank a little at the idea of poor Blue calling for her pack.

 

_We’re all that’s left. Dogs of war, like Hoskins said._ He glanced over at the woman in the passenger seat. Her back was ramrod-straight, arms firmly wrapped around the bottles of tequila and miscellaneous provisions he’d rustled up. _Well, dogs of war and one…volunteer of war_. She stared straight ahead, jumping a little when he quietly said her name. “You alright? Almost home.”

 

“I’m okay. Just…kind of rattled.” She tried to smile at him.

 

“Almost there.” He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, noticing the sky pinking up overhead. “We’ll catch some Zs and then…shit, we gotta’ feed the whole damn island. I don’t know whether inGen is gonna’ send more troopers so I guess we’ve got a pretty big mission on our hands.”

 

“It’s the carnivores that will be the problem. Ninety-five percent of the herbivores are foragers anyway.” She dug her wallet out of her back pocket, searching for something in it. “Sharks for the Mosasaur, along with a giant bottle of Pepto because I bet that I. Rex gave it indigestion…goat for Rexy. Two goats for Rexy. _Six_ goats for Rexy. Ferns for my girls and for the Anks and Gallies. Shit, what will we do about the Pterodactyls? _Yes_ , I still have my access card. Okay. As long as the security protocols haven’t been messed with we should be fine.”

 

“And if they have?” Owen asked.

 

“I guess we’ll pray that there’s one nerd left in Central Control.”

 

He nodded, sighing in relief as the bungalow appeared in his headlights. “Jesus, home sweet home never looked so damn good. Food before bed?” She shook her head, her exhaustion putting itself on full display when she nearly tumbled out the door of the MVU. “Whoa, easy there!” Owen grabbed her arm to catch her, not letting go until she got both feet on the ground. “You got precious cargo, right? Have to be careful.” The excuse was flimsy and he knew it even as he nodded towards the tequila.

 

She nodded back, her eyes already half-closed. She was fading fast. Owen hurried through the motions of unlocking his door and he ushered her inside, probably nearly breaking the bottles of alcohol when he took them from her slack grip and essentially tossed them off to the side. She made a noise of protest and he hushed her again, leading her to the futon.

 

“I’ll grab you a sheet, get the fan going. Just take your boots off.” She obediently sat to undo her laces and he headed to the bathroom to find his barely-used second set of sheets.

 

_This isn’t normally what happens when I bring a chick back to my place_ , Owen thought with a touch of amusement as he unfolded the sheet and snapped it over the edges of the futon. She was on the soft surface almost before he was done and Owen couldn’t keep from chuckling, pulling the flat sheet up over her shoulders. On an impulse he stroked her hair and he just barely heard her murmur, “ _good night, Mr. Grady_.”

 

_Guess I can make an exception_.

 

…

 

He wasn’t sure what time he had gone to sleep, but when he was shaken awake the clock displayed nine sixteen. He groaned loudly, swatting at the hand on his shoulder. “Not _yet_ , c’mon.” He snuggled back down into his pillow with a sigh, closing his eyes again. _Wait, since when do I live with anyone?!_ His eyes shot open and he sat bolt upright, flinging the pillow off to the side. It was that woman, the volunteer, looking disheveled. Owen’s eyes narrowed for a minute as he stared silently at her. The events of the previous day came flooding back in suddenly and he dropped his face into his hands, groaning again. “Fuck, fuck fuck.”

 

“You have a… _guest_.” She said, raising an eyebrow.

 

“S’it Barry?” She shook her head. Owen peeled the sheet back and got to his feet, yawning and then pulling on his boots as an afterthought. Extra clothes could wait until he had shooed whatever bigwig on his doorstep off into the jungle where they belonged.

 

He opened the door, fully prepared to lean against the frame in the most insolent fashion he could muster up. So he almost fell off his porch when he realized who it was.

 

“Blue!” The Velociraptor stood at the bottom of the steps, cocking her head to the side and chirruping at him. “You… _good_ girl, good girl!” Owen felt like he was going to burst with happiness. _She came back_. Something touched his hand and he quickly closed his fingers around it, wary of breaking eye contact with his beta.

 

The volunteer had gotten one of the rats from his fridge. “I assumed they were for her and not for breakfast,” The woman said in a wry whisper, “but if you'd like I could try to whip her up an omelet instead.”

 

“I think this will do _just_ fine.” Then, “Blue! Eyes on me!” Owen said firmly, absolutely _flush_ with pride when the raptor immediately straightened up, her attention on the rat in his hand. “You're the only one left now, girl. I guess that means I'm gonna' have to spoil you.” He tossed the rat to the deadly predator at the edge of his porch, smiling through his tears as he watched her quickly devour it. “Alright Blue, breakfast is over. Go!” He ordered, gesturing off towards the thick foliage. She hesitated for a moment, looking up at him and seeming confused. “Go on, Blue. It's alright.” He said, a little less firm. “I'll...I'll see you later, okay girl?” Owen was pretty sure she didn't understand the sentiment, but he could hope.

 

The Velociraptor purred at him and then bolted into the undergrowth on the outskirts of the little plot his residence rested on. Owen rubbed at his eyes, doing his best to keep himself together. The volunteer put a hand on his shoulder and he felt his self-control slide a fraction. “You're a good alpha. She'll be back.”

 

“I can't...God, I hope so.” Owen mumbled, “She's all I've got now.”

 

“She will.” She squeezed his shoulder and then stepped back. “Alright, we have a hell of a day ahead of us. Should we get started, Mr. Grady?”

 

“Call me Owen.” He didn't know why it mattered all of a sudden. She'd been calling him Mr. Grady since they'd met. “Please.”

 

“Okay...Owen.”

 

…

 

From Ankylosaurs to Suchomimus, Baronyx to Triceratops and everything in between, they worked their way through the paddocks and enclosures. Not for the first time Owen was immensely grateful for the automated systems that _were_ in place, and the scientific advances that made cloning so stupid simple they wouldn't run out of meat and vegetation for months (resources permitting, naturally).

 

She kept him talking as they finally rattled along through the Apatosaurus field, which was a comfort in and of itself. He could tell she needed it too, her words fading a little once they came across the first huge carcass covered in noisily-squawking vultures and crows. He reached over the gear shift in the Jeep to rest his hand on her thigh for a second, pulling her attention back to him. “It's alright.” He said quietly.

 

She smiled at him, tears threatening to fall regardless. “We waste so much, you know? As humans. I wish...I'd love to have them back.” She murmured, gesturing over her shoulder.

 

“I'd give anythin' to have the memory of Charlie getting blown to bits turn out to be nothing but a bad dream,” Owen confessed, “but the truth is that neither of us are getting our girls back. All we can do is work to keep the survivors in good health and just...try to take care of each other, I guess.”

 

“I'm glad you're here, Mr.-- _Owen_ , sorry. I don't know what would have happened to me if you hadn't showed up.” She twiddled her fingers. “I’m glad that--oh, here we are!” She said hurriedly, patting his hand on the gearshift. “Right here, see?”

 

The far-off buzz of a small motor caught Owen’s attention while she was up in the tree and he quickly checked his rifle over. God only knew who might be coming. He knew if it was inGen they would be shit out of luck.

 

Owen breathed a sigh of relief when he realized it was Barry. The larger man’s four-wheeler skidded to a halt and he quickly dismounted. “Owen fucking Grady, you are a _sight_ for sore eyes!” Barry exclaimed, hauling the other man in for a lung-collapsing hug.

 

“Hey man. Glad you’re okay.” Owen wheezed.

 

“I thought you were _dead_ , Owen!” Barry held him at arm’s length, looking him over critically. “You look half-dead, or around that percentage. _Merde_.”

 

“Always know how to make a guy feel better, Barry.” Owen said wryly.

 

Barry laughed at that, rumpling Owen’s hair. “Not much sleep for either of us, yes? What are you doing out here, anyway?”

 

“I’ve got uh…guard duty.” Owen flicked a finger upwards at the tree. “We’ve been workin’ ourselves to the bone gettin’ the island fed, man. My whole body hurts. Pretty sure she’s in the same boat, but these herbivores are like her raptors.” Owen shrugged and Barry shielded his eyes, squinting up at the tree.

 

“Sorry Owen, she’s obviously too smart and adventurous for you. _Hello again!_ ” He called, waving at the woman. She waved back, yelling something in reply.

 

Owen chuckled at his friend’s antics, shoving his shoulder roughly. “Easy. We’ve had a hell of a night. That Mosasaur popped up in the absolute nick of time and--shit, that woman up there outran Rexy. _Twice_.” He said proudly.

 

“Careful Owen, I think you have a crush!” Barry teased.

 

“You’re damn fucking right I do!” Owen grinned. “I tell you what, the next time a good-looking gal outruns an apex predator for _you_ , I’ll ask when the wedding is.”

 

Barry held up his hands in surrender, still smiling. “Fair enough.”

 

She dropped to the grass between the two of them, but before Owen could so much as get a word out she had bolted, heading for the rapidly-approaching form of an Apatosaurus. “ _Shirley!_ ”

 

Barry snorted. “She even named them old lady names.”

 

“Hey, we can’t all be elite dolphin-raptor trainers. I’m tired to death of calling animals Sierra Hotel India Tango or whatever the fuck.”

 

“Our girls are gone, aren’t they?” Barry asked softly as they watched the woman practically _cavort_ around the tree trunk legs of the huge herbivore. “I saw Echo, and I assume Delta. What was left of her, anyway.”

 

“Blue is…Blue’s what we have now.” Owen swallowed, the words thick in his throat. “After Charlie got…I mean, Delta and Echo fought hard but that giant fucker just…”

 

Barry jammed his hands into his pockets. “ _Fucking_ Hoskins.” He said finally.

 

“Delta got him.” Owen remembered the weird sensation of simultaneously being proud as hell and _terrified_ when Delta latched down on Hoskins’ hand. He’d done that move a thousand times and to see it backfire on someone else…well, if he wasn’t respectful of the danger that came with the job _before_ , he sure as heck was after that. “It was a _sight_.”

 

“My girl.” Barry shook his head. “She _hated_ him from the start. It is fitting, I suppose.” He turned to look at Owen. “This is such a mess.”

 

“You said it.” Owen agreed. “All that research. All that _effort_ , time and energy. So Vic could flush it at the first chance he got. We worked with those animals for two _years_.”

 

“I hear you, Owen. It is…it is difficult to understand men like Vic Hoskins. Especially when I don’t really want to.” Barry said bluntly. “Look at her with her big friend. No one _normal_ who looks at that would think of making her twist that animal to do her bidding. They are better this way.”

 

Owen decided that changing the subject was in his best interest. Barry could use some good news. “Blue showed up for breakfast this morning.”

 

“Good! She is free-roaming then?”

 

“I don’t know if she knows that the others are gone yet, I think she may be looking for them. But yeah,” Owen nodded, “she’s all grown up now, I guess.”

 

“I’m glad to hear that.” Barry murmured. “Let her be free before inGen comes swooping back in and starts ruining everything all over again.” He shook himself bodily after a few moments of brooding. “I have to get back to work. Some of the containment fences were damaged so I have been working with the young man in Central Control to get them back online. I will see you later, Owen.” He extended a hand to Owen, who pulled him into a hug instead.

 

“Take care of yourself, man.”

 

…

 

“So I know the dinosaurs don’t mind, and _maybe_ you don’t mind. But I know for a fact that I probably smell like a landfill at this point.” She said out of the blue as the vehicle trundled along the access road. “If there is a shower situation at your uh…cabin, trailer thing, I would-”

 

“It’s a _bungalow_.” Owen corrected, grinning when she stuck her tongue out at him. “Get it right, shit.”

 

“Oh my _apologies_ , your highness.” She snickered. “I didn’t think you had a shower. You don’t look like the showering type.”

 

“You got me. I’d rather haul Ma’s old wash tub out into my front yard and share bathwater with the raptors.” Owen teased. “It’s a freein’ experience.”

 

“…Can I borrow a towel and a toothbrush, or do you share _those_ with your pack too?”

 

“’Course I share ‘em with my pack. That’s why you’re welcome to ‘em.” Owen listened to her sputter, his grin widening. “Heck, you ask nice and I might even rustle up some clothes for you. Hope you like neutrals though. Bright colors would distract my girls. I’ve got one of those little washers if you wanna’ wash your stuff.”

 

“What a gentleman.” She pretended to swoon and Owen reached over to tousle her hair.

 

“I’m sure that’s exactly what every ex I’ve ever had will tell you. Definitely not ‘ _he loves those dolphins more than me!_ ’ or ‘ _I wish he’d jump off a cliff!_ ’” Owen mimicked in a falsetto voice. “Obviously I’m irresistible. That’s why the only ladies that will associate with me are intelligent predators…and the animals, too.”

 

“Oo, low blow. Well I guess coming across me was a stroke of luck on your part, seeing as how I’m neither of those things.”

 

Owen almost choked while she smiled in a rather self-satisfied manner. “You sure about that? Because that was an ambush if I ever saw one.”

 

“Seriously though, you trained _dolphins?_ How cool was that? Did you learn all the clicks and whistles and shit?!” She asked excitedly. “Are they as smooth as they look, or are they like sharks?”

 

“Why does everyone _always_ ask about the-- _yes_ , okay? I learned a few basic…clicks.” He huffed, a little embarrassed. “And they’re smooth.”

 

“Is that why they had you train the raptors? Are pods like the pack mentality?”

 

“I think they took one look at my file and went ‘ _yeah, he’s nuts, sign him up!_ ’” Owen joked. “Oh, maybe they thought I was qualified? I _definitely_ needed help though, that’s why I had them give Barry a call. Otherwise you can bet them khaki shorts that I’d have been raptor chow ages ago.”

 

“You’ve had such a cool run of it. God.” She settled back in her seat. “I wish I could have done something like that. Instead, I make king-size salads.”

 

“Hey, we all serve a purpose. Without you pulling Rexy, Blue would have died.” Owen cleared his throat. “Me too, of course.”

 

“Yeah but if you hadn’t _stopped_ yesterday in the first place I would probably be eviscerated in the jungle somewhere.” She pointed out glumly. “We may all serve a purpose but I guess yours is just a bit more _lofty_ than mine.”

 

“It ain’t your fault you’re not Navy bred. You might wanna’ consider heading through a basic training program, you’re good at thinkin’ on your feet.” Owen regretted it as soon as he said it. The _last_ thing he wanted was one more person chewed up and spat out by a military system that would grind that compassion right out of her. “I mean, tactically speaking. It uh. Looks good on a resume.”

 

“'Tactically speaking’? What a nerd.” She snorted, making him chuckle. “Nah, I know I’d definitely get eaten alive in a military environment. Thanks for the suggestion, though. And the compliment.”

 

“Hey, I told you. I’m irresistible.” Owen winked, thoroughly enjoying the way she rolled her eyes at him.

 

…

 

“They sound more like-” Owen clicked his tongue and then his teeth, mustering up a few sloppy chirps. She burst into giggles, almost falling off the edge of the futon. He laughed along with her, pleasantly tipsy himself. The tequila was great stuff, Cretaceous Era agave made a _hell_ of a drink. He knew that for most people, the allure of tequila was the complicated bullshit involved in drinking it, combined (of course) with the possible chance of licking someone else’s body. But for him, the enjoyment came from nursing a heavy-handed margarita and swapping tales with the rich old bastards that frequented Margaritaville.

 

_This is nice too, though_ he decided, watching the way she smiled brightly. She was still hiccupping giggles, fishing a frozen strawberry out of her cup with her fingers.

 

Owen took a minute to study her. Mostly how she looked in his clothes. “You’re incredible. You understand that, right?” He asked quietly, making her look up at him. “You…hell, no one, and I _mean_ no one, would have blamed you for running your ass down to the docks and gettin’ the hell off this island. But you didn’t. Blue and I are still breathin’ because of you.” He paused to take a sip of his drink. “I dunno’ if I’m getting all sappy because I miss my girls or whatever the hell but…but seriously. You’re incredible.”

 

She was shaking her head before he was done talking. “No, m’ really not Owen. You don’t have to lie to me to make me feel better. I think it was just like…a series of progressively dumber choices that _somehow_ panned out. A hell of a lot of luck.”

 

“Well shit. I guess you’re my lucky charm then because _damn_ , the fucking T. Rex is still blowing my mind.” Owen grinned, bumping her shoulder with his own.

 

She didn’t return his smile, though. If anything, she looked strangely serious. She swirled the liquid in her cup for a second, like she was thinking about something. Owen took the moment to finish off his own glass. “So…on Main Street, when that Dimorphodon was trying to eat your face and I whacked it, tranq'ed it and pulled you back up, I thought you were…that is, I hoped that…” She fell silent and Owen was startled to realize that she was _blushing_.

 

He wracked his brain for what had happened. There had been so many close calls just during that assault alone, it was a little jumbled.

 

“Thanks for the save, sweetheart.” _He’d said breathlessly, her body pressed flush against his own. He could feel the way she was shaking, her heart pounding in her chest. She had swallowed, looking up at him wide-eyed, lips slightly parted and-_

 

_Oh_. Owen felt a wave of heat rush over his body. “You…you were waiting for me to…” He ran a hand through his hair.

 

“I mean, not exactly? It was just that kind of moment. In the movies you see it all the time.” She explained. “Someone saves someone else and in the heat of the moment it’s totally ludicrous but they _somehow_ manage to avoid getting killed long enough to kiss.”

 

“I mean I’m not gonna’ say I didn’t _think_ about it.” Owen said honestly. “You saved my face with your quick rifle-butting. I _definitely_ thought about it.”

 

“Really?”

 

“'Course! You’re damn pretty and you had _literally_ just kept my skull in one piece. I…if I’d…look, we’ll re-enact it, okay? Here, stand up.” He urged her upright and then rolled off the futon onto the floor, pretending to grapple with a winged fiend snapping wildly at his face. “And then you come in with the butt of the gun like ‘ _bang!_ ’” Owen laughed as she ‘aimed down the sights’ of her finger gun and stuck her tongue out. “Lights out, little bastard. And then!” He held out his hand and she only stumbled a little bit when hauling him upright.

 

Owen pulled her up against him just like last time, acting like he was taking a gun from her hands and surprising a laugh out of her. He couldn’t help pushing a stray lock of still slightly-damp hair back behind her ear, watching how she nervously licked her lips.

 

“You saved my life.” Owen found himself suddenly serious, pressing his forehead to her own. “You saved my damn life, sweetheart. _Anythin’_ you want, it’s yours.” The sincerity in his voice came naturally.

 

“Kiss me?” She asked softly, lowering her eyes when Owen cupped her face. “Please?”

 

“You got it, sweetheart.” He murmured, pressing his mouth to hers. She held onto his shirt as he licked into her mouth, tasting her for the first time. “Damn.” He breathed softly when he finally pulled away. “It is a _very_ good thing that I didn’t do that the first time.”

 

“Why?” She asked, looking a little dazed.

 

“Because now I can do _this_.” Owen kissed her again, harder this time. He felt her hold on his shirt tighten and she whimpered, almost a mewl. Oh they would have been absolutely _screwed_ because that noise alone had his body lighting _right_ the hell up. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you might _like_ when I kiss you.”

 

She nodded, ducking her face into his chest. “I do.”

 

“You want more?” He asked softly, tipping her face back up. “I’m not inclined to deny a pretty girl a request.”

 

“I’m not-”

 

“Trust me sweetheart, you _are_.” He interrupted, knowing where she was headed. “You don’t get it, I guess.”

 

“Get what?”

 

He shrugged, smiling ruefully. “I’m better with animals than people. Always have been. But there’s no deceptive crap with animals and I piss a lot of humans off by being too blunt. When I say something’s true though, you can bet your ass I believe it’s gospel. So don’t…don’t put yourself down. You’re beautiful, okay?”

 

“I mean…I have good days just like everyone else.” She seemed flustered and it was weirdly gratifying to see.

 

“Yeah, every day that ends with ‘y’.” Owen teased, smoothing out the hem of the shirt he had loaned her. His lighthearted mood faded relatively quickly, the quiet sadness bubbling back to the surface. “Listen,” He continued a little quieter, “I’m kind of a broken guy right now. Lost most of my family last night. But you keepin’ me busy today got my mind off it. Tequila’s easing the edge on the hurting bullshit at the moment. I should probably put on some James Taylor and get into bed before I make a fool of myself, I just…I wouldn’t mind a little company tonight, is all.” He mumbled, surprised when her hand cupped the back of his neck and tugged him down.

 

She tucked his face into the crook of her neck and shoulder, stroking his hair in a soothing motion. Owen grimaced, fingers digging into her shoulder blades as he held her tightly. “You’re allowed to be sad.” She whispered.

 

“I’m not some gargantuan herbivore for you to console.” Owen muttered, a little off-balance.

 

“You can be angry, too. I know a lot of people find that easier. But you’re _allowed_ to be sad.” She repeated firmly, pulling away and taking his hand. “C’mon, Owen. I guess I can keep you company.”

 

“Well you’re just a _swell_ one, aren’t you?” He allowed himself to be led to his own bedroom. “Your sacrifice is duly noted.”

 

“Oh _please_ , shush.” She scolded, “I’m doing this because I want to. Your _sarcasm_ is unnecessary.” Her irritated face was almost too cute. Owen was powerless to resist kissing her nose, chuckling at the expression she made.

 

“I wasn’t being real serious, you don’t have to-”

 

“Ah ah, no take-backsies Grady. You’re stuck with me.” She laid down, sprawling across the bed almost diagonal with a very satisfied smirk on her face as she looked up at him. “And now I’ve taken your whole mattress. My master plan this entire time, finally come to fruition.”

 

“ _God_ , you’re weird.” Owen straddled her, mouthing down her neck slowly. “You’re lucky I like my women dangerous.” He murmured against her skin.

 

“I dunno’ if I would consider myself _dangerous_.”

 

“Oh you’re dangerous as _hell_ , sweetheart. Those eyes? These curves?” Owen dropped a hand to her thigh, loving the way she moved up at his touch. “You’re nine hundred _miles_ worth of dangerous and I want to learn every damn inch if you’ll let me.”

 

“Yeah?” She propped herself up, meeting his mouth in another languid kiss. “I think I’d like that, Owen.” She breathed, nipping at his lower lip.

 

Owen groaned when she arched her back, pressing her body against his. “I love you wearin’ my shirt, but I think you’d probably look better without it.”

 

“You take yours off first. Please?” She requested. Owen quickly obliged, leaning back to undo those fiddly buttons. She held her arms up once he was done and he tugged the long-sleeved shirt up and over her head. Owen took a second there to observe her, committing to memory the way the dim light of his lone bedside lamp had turned her into a gentle fantasy, here for him and him alone.

 

He made a soft noise in his throat that she answered with one of her own, urging him to touch her, taste her, to know that she was _real_ and _here_. Owen fairly _devoured_ her at her request, love bites blooming on her breasts and neck as he took his time to learn what she liked.

 

It was only once she was a heated mess, her hair sticking to her forehead and her whole body flushed with arousal that Owen moved lower. He was a firm believer that the wait was what tended to make the act, so to speak, and he continued his methodical exploration with his hands. She cried out when he slowly slid two fingers inside her, her hand coming up to grip his short hair tightly. He lost his breath a little at just how _wet_ she was, feeling almost stupidly proud of himself. “More?” He asked, muffling his satisfied growl by kissing her thigh when she touched her fingers to his own and nodded furiously. “How much?”

 

“ _All_ of it.” She sounded a bit desperate, a bit exasperated. An excellent combination, in Owen’s not-so-humble opinion. “ _Please_ , Owen, I need you.”

 

That caught him funny in the chest and he propped himself up, kissing her hard. “Goddamn sweetheart, you make me feel worthwhile.” He said thickly, rubbing his thumb over her clit in tough little circles. She moved her hips up to meet his motions, eager sounds and  _his name_ falling from her lips in a ridiculously attractive fashion. “Absolutely worthwhile. I told you that you were dangerous.”

 

She huffed out a breath and he relented, his next kiss lazier while he unbuttoned his pants and struggled out of them. Granted, it would have  _absolutely_ been simpler if he'd stopped kissing and touching her to take them off, but there was the whole ' _stop kissing and touching her_ ' part of that plan that didn't appeal to him in the slightest. 

 

Owen propped himself up on his elbows again, this time searching her eyes. It was an ingrained habit at this point to scan the body language of whoever he decided was worth this kind of effort, he couldn't exactly _help_ it. But what he saw there thrilled him to his core. Pupils dilated, shoulders relaxed, hands coming up to frame his sides. Her thighs trembling a little and _she's smiling,_ _**fuck**_ _she's smiling at me, she's enjoying this, she likes this_ he realized, not sure why that surprised him so much. He wasn't necessarily one to _brag_ , but he'd had his name screamed once or twice. 

 

This was just...it was easy and gentle, not  _frantic_ at all like it usually ended up being when he reached this point. “Are you okay? We can stop, if you need to.” She offered softly, seeming to misunderstand his hesitation.

 

“Oh I am _great_. Never better.” He smiled, bumping their foreheads together. “You ready?”

 

“Please.” Her voice was a whisper, a crooning plea that drew itself into a moan as he carefully, _carefully_ entered her. “ _God_.”

 

Owen gritted his teeth at the sound of her voice, the blatant  _heat_ there that sent an electric jolt down his spine. “Fuck's sake sweetheart you... _fuck_ .” He forced himself to be slow, to take his time and let her adjust. He waited again until she was begging, until she was  _squirming_ .

 

Kisses, hungry,  _needy_ kisses kept pressing to his jaw and throat, stuttering his breathing every time because it was  _never_ this way. It had been ages since anyone so much as bothered to  _try_ to match the attention and affection he invested when it came to sex, so long that he'd almost forgotten what it felt like to  _enjoy_ what he was doing instead of worrying about putting on a great performance. She kept saying his name and all these good things about him, about how much she liked it, her fingers digging into his back as his thrusts picked up. 

 

“You can still talk. Means m' not doin' my job right.” Owen panted, coaxing her knees up over his shoulders and planting a few kisses on the skin of her thigh while he fucked down into her deeper. “Touch yourself for me, sweetheart, please, p-please. I don't know if I'm gonna' last, _fuck_ you feel so fuckin' _good!_ ” He knew he should probably be embarrassed at his volume but he could hardly muster up the brain power at the moment. She arched up as best as she could, taking his breath away with the sight of her spread out underneath him, her fingers grazing his cock when she started rubbing back and forth over her clit. “Shit, _yes_.” The snarl came from deep in his chest and he felt her whole body quiver. “That is fucking _gorgeous_ , you're so fucking perfect.”

 

“ _God_ , Owen I just-!” Her voice cracked. “I need you, I _need_ you, _please!_ ”

 

“You want me, sweetheart? You need all of this? I'm _yours_ already. And you are _mine_.” Owen growled, not exactly sure where the certainty came from. He clung to it all the same in the moment. “We're gonna' keep each other safe and we're _going_ to make you come, Jesus Christ, I need you to _come!_ ” Whether he was begging or demanding or a little bit of both, it hardly mattered because she _obeyed_ , everything pausing for a split-second before she was in spasm around his cock, her slick drenching him as she cried out his name. 

 

He had never heard anything so perfect in his whole life and he moaned her name in reply, looking down to where their bodies joined. She was gasping for breath and still kissing his throat, whimpering with every aftershock that rolled through her even as she continued to take his cock.

 

“Where do you want it?” Owen said through gritted teeth, tearing his eyes away to focus on her face again. She looked like absolute _sin_ , her hair a mess and her own eyes half-closed in pleasure. He felt a rush of pride. She tapped her stomach, teasing her fingers down over his shaft again. With a low groan he withdrew from her, startled into momentary silence when she quickly wrapped those fingers around his aching cock. _Very_ momentary. “ _Oh_ , fuck, Jesus, sweetheart-” He gasped, hips shuddering as he fucked her fist rapidly. “Fucking-- _dammit_ , dammit you-!” She teased her thumb over the sensitive head of his cock and that was it, his whole body _trembling_ when he came hard on her stomach. 

 

Owen almost collapsed, the abrupt tightness in his shoulders and arms letting him know that  _maybe_ he had overdone it. He groaned loudly, sliding his cock back and forth a few more times just to savor the feeling of her fingers on him, coated in his release. 

 

“Wow.” She said softly, staring up at him and Owen _had_ to kiss her for that, he had to, it was required. 

 

“So I think it's bedtime now, yeah?” He murmured awkwardly once they parted, not sure why she was still staring. “What?” He asked finally, sitting up and rubbing the back of his neck.

 

“I just...I mean, _wow_.” She repeated, her smile much more sleepy now. 

 

Owen returned the smile uncertainly and got to his feet, stretching. “I'm gonna'...um, get a washcloth. Don't go anywhere.”

 

The clean up was usually his least-favorite part, but Owen found himself not minding it so much this time. She gave him these wonderful little sounds as he wiped her down, almost like purring. Once he was done, she made herself at home in his arms without a minute of hesitation. Owen could _definitely_ get used to this. 

 

“We gotta' stick together, you and I. For survival and stuff.” He murmured into her hair.

 

And when he woke up at some point after midnight with a new night terror still fresh in his mind, tears trickling down his face because _I lost them, I lost them_ , she soothed him back to sleep with quiet words and assurances. _You're safe, you're allowed to be sad, you're safe, it's alright, you're safe Owen..._

 

…

 

Loud knocking on his front door roused him from his slumber the next morning and Owen muttered something  _decidedly_ unkind, a little startled when he opened his eyes and realized that she was still there, still asleep in his bed. He felt like a doofus, smiling at a sleeping person, but he decided he was alright with that title. He kissed her forehead and slowly untangled himself, yawning and scratching his ribs. 

 

_Time to face the next problem_.  He wasn't all that upset, honestly. He knew he would probably go stir-crazy without _some_ kind of conflict. Hopefully she was up for the challenge as well.

 

_For survival_ .

 


End file.
